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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. press — newspapers
  4. rest — what's left
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. hand — in cards
  10. rest — a break
  11. face — to point toward
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — to push
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rest — what's left
  19. tube — the underground
  20. hand — help
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — part of the head
  23. vault — a safe
  24. hand — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com